Being a travel and nature photographer, it is always amazing to stand in front of new things and experience them. My favorite part of the US is definitely the west, with the beautiful mountain ranges and deserts. Living on the east coast, I sometimes take the east for granted and yearn for the vast landscapes out west. Isn't it funny that we photographers often don't take advantage of the sights in our backyards, maybe because they are all easily accessible.

A few years ago, I was getting antsy waiting for the next trip out west. I started to think about what was in my backyard that I could shoot. As my great friend Jeff Clow says, "Stand in front of better things." Niagara Falls immediately came to mind. The falls are one of America's great destinations. Granted, the falls are not really in my backyard (an 8 hour drive), but what the heck.

I drove to the falls in April and discovered that it was a great time of year to visit. It was off-season, the hotels and restaurants were having great deals, and, best of all, there weren't the normal crowds that you would encounter in the summer months. Just standing near the edge of the falls watching the relentless water fall over the cliff was mesmerizing. The little rainbow at the edge of the falss was just icing on the cake.